Does Exercise Affect Fertility?

Author: Dr. Anil PintoThe decision to get pregnant can significantly alter the course of your life! Many of the things that you once considered indispensable may have to take a back seat in favor of the more important task of creating a little human. Junk food, smoking, and excessive drinking will […]

Author: Dr. Anil Pinto

Dr. Anil Pinto

The decision to get pregnant can significantly alter the course of your life! Many of the things that you once considered indispensable may have to take a back seat in favor of the more important task of creating a little human. Junk food, smoking, and excessive drinking will certainly have to be left by the wayside. What about exercise? – How does it affect fertility?

In answering this question, you should consider your fitness level and the type of exercise you are performing. What could be a strenuous workout for one person may barely cause another to break into a sweat. However, there are some exercises that may potentially harm your fertility. These include heavy weight training, sports such as gymnastics or ballet, extreme boot camp training, running several miles each day, and any strenuous exercise done for 45 minutes to an hour every day of the week.

Exercises that are beneficial for improving fertility include brisk walking for 30 minutes to an hour 5 times a week, swimming or low impact aerobics 2 or 3 times a week. Even dancing, light jogging, and leisurely bike riding can also be added into your workout. For women undergoing fertility treatments, daily walking or some form of light exercise would be more beneficial than no exercise at all.

Achieving the ideal body weight is also critical to improving fertility. Thus, those who are underweight may have to cut back on their workouts and consume more calories until they achieve a healthy body mass index. On the other hand, studies have shown that overweight women demonstrate increased fertility rates even after exercising strenuously.

For men, regular workouts tend to decrease fat and increase muscle mass leading to higher testosterone levels which boosts fertility. Workout clothing should not be too tight at the groin area as this may increase the heat in the testicles, which adversely affects sperm production.

To sum it up, moderate and regular exercise has been shown to increase circulation, reduce stress, increase flexibility, and improve strength and endurance. All these health benefits make moderate exercise essential in preparation for pregnancy.

ReproMed Fertility Center is committed to providing comprehensive infertility and reproductive health care, including In-vitro fertilization (IVF). Our physicians formulate individualized treatment plans for each patient so they have the best chance of conceiving. ReproMed Fertility Center can offer new hope to those seeking to overcome infertility in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.